USFL playoffs: ‘Hard Time’ shines as Stars march to title game

By RJ Younger
FOX Sports activities School Soccer Author

CANTON, Ohio — Philadelphia Stars wideout Maurice Alexander is chippy, and he’ll be the primary to let you know so.

“I’ve obtained an enormous chip on my shoulder, and I don’t suppose it’s going wherever,” he mentioned.

He performs this recreation with that rock on his wiry body, pushing for what he is aware of is his if he simply retains working. When the New Jersey Generals punted to him with two minutes to play, he noticed a chance to run, and he took it.

He cradled the punted ball inside his personal 15-yard line and ran it again 87 yards to safe a 19-14 win at Tom Benson Corridor of Fame Stadium — King within the North.

Highlights: Philadelphia Stars topple New Jersey Generals

An in depth contest between the Stars and Generals led to an upset because the USFL playoffs obtained underway. Try the highlights as Case Cookus, Luis Perez, KaVontae Turpin and different massive names starred.

Alexander’s nickname is “Onerous Time.”

I realized that earlier this yr in Birmingham when making an attempt to determine how a person who as soon as performed quarterback at Florida Worldwide and later transformed to large receiver will get a nickname like that. 

His grandmother, Sandra Terry, gave him that nickname primarily based on his start — Terry’s daughter, Kevia Morrison, was hospitalized for 3 days after eight hours in labor giving start to Alexander.

“Once I was first born,” Alexander informed FOX Sports activities, “my mother needed to have an emergency (Cesarean) part, and all through that she was in labor for greater than eight hours as a result of my umbilical wire obtained wrapped round my neck. My grandmama was there via the entire time, and he or she named me ‘Onerous Time.’”

Alexander even had a tough time stepping into the USFL. He was jobless, being supported by household, nonetheless wanting a chance to play skilled soccer.

“We really held up — it was our choose — and we held up, we stalled and did all the things we might to get our receiver coach the time to truly take a look at him as a result of he was a late addition,” Stars coach Bart Andrus mentioned earlier this season. “And we checked out about half a dozen performs. That is about all we had time for. And we chosen him, and, man, I’m certain glad we did.”

Alexander was not solely chosen to the All-USFL Crew however is the first cause the Stars are one recreation away from enjoying for the title. His punt return was the Stars’ first TD on particular groups this season. 

Andrus knew that and nonetheless saved working performs that may give Alexander the perfect likelihood to take one again.

“I believe he has a chance to run again each time he catches the soccer,” he mentioned.

Stars quarterback Case Cookus thought it was one of many higher and extra vital performs he’s ever seen from a teammate.

“It is one of many best soccer performs and sort of one-ups I’ve ever seen,” Cookus mentioned. “He watches [KaVontae] Turpin do a fantastic job working one again and says, ‘Maintain my beer.’ It is fairly cool that he was in a position to try this.” 

TURPIN TIME

Because the punt rolled towards Turpin, he waved off his teammates, pondering it might roll useless. However then the ball took an ungainly bounce proper into Turpin’s fingers, and it was Turpin Time. 

He ran round, via and over the Philly punt group like turpentine on outdated paint — 78 yards to accommodate to provide the Generals a 14-10 lead with 10:30 left to play. It was the second time he returned a punt for a landing this season.

Earlier this week, Turpin was voted by seven USFL head coaches — coaches couldn’t vote for their very own gamers — because the league’s inaugural Most Beneficial Participant.

Turpin has proven he can do all of it for the Generals. Over the course of any recreation, he may return kicks and punts, catch passes and run the ball, main opposing groups to need to acknowledge the place No. 5 is on the sphere always. He led the league in receiving yards with 44 catches for 596 yards.

KaVontae Turpin takes it to the home!

KaVontae Turpin takes the punt return 79 yards to the home to provide the New Jersey Generals the 14-10 lead over the Philadelphia Stars.

A HUGE CALL

Within the second quarter, Mazzi Wilkins picked off New Jersey QB Luis Perez on Philly’s four-yard line and picked up a convoy as he returned all of it the best way to the Generals’ 13-yard line. A success by Ralph Holley on Perez, nevertheless, was briefly flagged for roughing the passer. 

However, after overview, the laundry was lifted off the carpet, and Wilkins’ 75-yard return was allowed to face.

Two performs later, Cookus counted the field and noticed there have been simply 5 males in entrance of him. He took the snap, made himself a meal and walked into the top zone to place the Stars forward 10-0 with 9:29 left within the half.

“That was a fortunate play,” Cookus informed FOX Sports activities USFL sideline reporter Brock Huard. “I obtained the double-team from the offensive line, and I simply wanted to stroll in there.” 

TURNOVERS AND SPECIAL TEAMS 

On fourth-and-inches, the Stars watched Riley name for a hand-off to the league’s Offensive Participant of the Yr, Darius Victor. The play began contained in the 10-yard line, the place Victor had been at his most potent this season, however Cedric Lattimore stood up Victor within the backfield for a turnover on downs and the Stars’ second takeaway in two quarters.

At halftime, these two turnovers had confirmed to be the distinction within the recreation. Regardless of the Generals main the Stars in practically each statistical class — together with offensive performs run, completions, time of possession and complete yardage — the Stars held a two-possession lead as a result of they’d managed to show their first turnover into factors.

The Stars’ protection additionally saved league MVP Turpin in verify via the primary half. Turpin loved simply three touches and one reception within the half for 9 complete yards. 

The takeaway development for the Stars continued when Cam Echols-Luper fumbled the ball on a kickoff, and Philadelphia recovered. 

INJURIES

Philly’s Matt Colburn left within the third quarter with a knee harm. He had eight touchdowns within the final eight video games for the Stars in a season that noticed him topped USFL Sportsman of the Yr. 

On the following play, the Stars got here out in an empty set. New Jersey despatched yet another blitzer than the Star offensive line might block, compelled Cookus right into a poor throw and linebacker Mike Bell Jr. picked off the cross for New Jersey’s first takeaway of the yr. 

Cookus took a shot to his decrease again that noticed him be a part of Colburn within the harm tent, and on the Stars’ subsequent defensive play, cornerback Channing Stribling wanted to go away with an ankle harm. Stribling and Colburn, didn’t return, and Cookus was momentarily spelled by KJ Costello.

That meant the league’s finest passer within the second half of the season (Cookus), the league’s finest rusher within the second half of the season (Colburn) and the league’s chief in INTs (Stribling) have been all unavailable to the Stars for a lot of the second half. 

Andrus didn’t need to speculate on Stribling or Colburn’s accidents, although he’s hopeful they will play within the title recreation on July 3.

LATE FIREWORKS

With De’Andre Johnson in at quarterback for the Generals, Riley dialed up an out-and-up in opposition to man-coverage that former North Dakota State large receiver Darius Shepherd caught for 63 yards to place New Jersey contained in the pink zone. Victor ultimately punched it in to tug N.J. inside 10-7 with 9:51 left within the third.  

Then issues obtained thrilling late.

After Turpin’s punt return landing, the Stars responded with a scoring drive to chop the Generals’ result in 14-13 with 5:55 left to play. The sport appeared tailor-made for the Generals to make use of their No. 1 dashing offense to expire the clock. 

However Alexander would have none of it. He noticed “Turpin Time” and raised him a “Onerous Time” — 87 yards straight to the USFL Championship Sport. 

Profitable Time is (for) Onerous Time.

RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast “The No. 1 Ranked Show with RJ Young.” Comply with him on Twitter at @RJ_Young, and subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube. He’s not on a StepMill.

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